Calvin couldn’t stay out forever, and as expected, he was met with Bella’s angry face as soon as he walked in the door. He almost wanted to turn around and leave but held back. Bella glanced at the clock on the wall; it was just a few minutes before midnight. It was rare for him to still remember to come home! Since he loved his work so much, he might as well get a dormitory and save himself the trouble of commuting.Calvin didn’t say a word to her, and she only glanced at him before ignoring him. She had called him multiple times in the morning without any response. Was he not afraid she might have an emergency? Since he clearly refused to communicate, she had no interest in trying to bridge the gap. They had lived in mutual silence before for three years and could do it again now!Bella sat in the living room watching TV for a while before getting up to go to the bedroom. Her movement paused at the door, and she considered whether to sleep in the guest room to avoid getting angry ev
Fiona yawned, watching Bella pace anxiously in the conference room. Was it really necessary to be so worked up over seeing Calvin leave the company with a beautiful woman? It wasn’t like she caught them in bed together. Fiona’s mind wandered to what Calvin might look like in bed and quickly dismissed the thought. “What do you think he means by this?” Bella was on the verge of a breakdown. Why couldn’t Calvin just give her a straightforward explanation?Fiona lazily replied, “Like I said, Selina is starring in one of our company’s movies. It was hard to get her on board, so Calvin was just hosting her.” Fiona had already explained this multiple times when Bella first stormed in. Did Bella really need Fiona to say that Calvin and Selina were having an affair for her to believe it?“Isn’t Jex usually the one handling such matters? Fiona, did Calvin bribe you to defend him?” Bella hadn’t forgotten about the cucumber incident either.“Cross my heart, I haven’t been bought off with petty f
Jex was right; he had easier access to Calvin's office than Fiona did. Relying solely on Fiona's information would leave Bella sitting idly in the café, only able to spy on Calvin during lunch breaks and after work. If Calvin went out, Fiona might not be able to inform Bella immediately, but Jex could.The elevator stopped on the 26th floor. Jex pulled out his phone, made a call, and walked into Calvin's office as if he owned the place. Unfortunately, Angela was in the middle of a report. Jex casually pulled up a chair to listen, pretending to play a game on his phone to ensure the person on the other end could hear everything clearly.Calvin couldn’t find out from Fiona which tour group Bella had joined for her trip to Lijiang, so he had to start by checking flight records. Given the circumstances, her departure was clearly impulsive. She had turned off her phone, making her unreachable if something happened. The incident Jex mentioned about disfigurement in Lijiang was an isolated c
Calvin arranged for someone to secretly monitor Fiona, but the results were disappointing. The person he sent returned the next day to report that Fiona had dinner with Jex last night and then went straight home. He waited outside her place until midnight but saw no activity before leaving. Hearing this, Calvin frowned in thought. Fiona was likely involved in Bella's so-called travel plans. If Bella hadn't actually traveled, she must have contacted Fiona. But they hadn't met? If they hadn't met, could it be that they had communicated by phone? “Did she make any phone calls?”“Uh... I didn't notice. I didn't dare get too close, so I wouldn't know if she did.” In fact, he had only followed from a distance and didn’t dare approach. After thinking for a moment, he added, “Fiona left work with Mr. Jex, and they picked someone up at the café downstairs before going to dinner…”Calvin interrupted him, “Picked someone up? Who? Did you recognize them?” Jex and Fiona didn’t have much interactio
The living room lights flickered on, the sudden brightness making Bella squint. Instinctively, she glanced at the clock on the wall—it was ten. Turning her head towards the entrance, she saw Calvin changing his shoes. Languidly, she asked, “Working late again today?” “Mhm,” Calvin replied nonchalantly. Bella redirected her gaze back to the television. Calvin was a workaholic, working overtime at least three days a week, a routine she had grown accustomed to. Typically, he would take a shower at this time and then seclude himself in the study to continue his grand endeavors. However, today was different. Calvin picked up the remote from the coffee table, turned off the TV, and then sat down on the single-seater sofa to her left, loosening his tie with a hint of lethargy. “I need to discuss something with you.” Bella looked at him in confusion. Discuss something with her? That was rare. In their three years of marriage, he had always had only one thing to say about domestic matters—“
Bella, irritated, slammed the mouse down. Ugh, this client was a nightmare—the wine promotion poster had been revised five times and still wasn't satisfactory! The client, a rather attractive woman, always showed up overdressed and smelling like she'd bathed in perfume, enough to make anyone sneeze. After several interactions, Bella’s four-word summary for her was—beauty without brains, totally clueless about design. But, the customer is always right, even if their taste is all wrong. Dealing with clueless clients wasn’t new for Bella, but Calvin’s sudden bout of madness had left her too frazzled to handle them. Sighing resignedly, she grabbed the mouse again. Her marriage was teetering on the edge, but she couldn’t afford to lose her job. At that moment, the sound of a swivel chair sliding nearby was followed by a face peeking over the partition. Glancing at her screen, she was somewhat surprised, “You've only changed the background color of the poster all morning? That woman is com
When Bella got home, Calvin was watching TV. Logic would dictate that a workaholic like him wouldn't be interested in entertainment, least of all idol dramas. Yet, there he was, strangely engrossed in one. It baffled her; what was a grown man doing watching idol dramas? His posture was relaxed against the couch, expressionless, his eyes unchanging as he watched the main characters share a passionate kiss on the screen. The kissing scene wasn’t particularly special, but such scenes tend to stir emotions in viewers, Bella included. She might not have thought much of it alone, but with Calvin there, she oddly felt her cheeks warm. "TV dramas these days can hardly progress without hugging, kissing, or rolling in bed," Bella commented as she dumped her shopping bags onto the sofa, relieved to be rid of the weight. "The audience likes these things." Bella was surprised by his response and retorted, "You like watching this?" She couldn’t grasp what had gotten into him. She remembered him
Bella shot Fiona a sideways glance. Not only was Fiona risqué, but she was also lewd. However, their compatibility indicated that Bella was no innocent flower either, just differently lewd. Fiona immediately caught Bella’s look and defended herself, "Crude but true! I can't stand your faux purity, married lady pretending to be a maiden!" "Can't you be more subtle?" Bella criticized the crass language. She had never introduced Calvin to Fiona, and such words seemed far removed from him. Raising an eyebrow, Fiona suggested, "If you prefer, we could call it 'lotus arm.' Is that subtle enough?" Bella couldn’t help but cover her face. Was it even possible to have a normal conversation with her? Everything Fiona said was tinged with innuendo. Meanwhile, Bella noticed Jessica leading two new faces into the conference room. Fiona’s eyes followed, murmuring sounds of disapproval, probably cooking up some sleazy thoughts. Bella nudged her, "Come on, haven't you seen men before?" Just a coupl